DENVER — Troy Tulowitzki could have easily won NL Player of the Week a month ago, until San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez went nuclear. This time Tulowitzki smoked the competition, winning the award Monday by going 9-for-23 with four home runs in consecutive games. Tulowitzki is batting .289 with 81 RBIs this season as the Rockies are pushing to make the playoffs. He’s attempting to become the first NL shortstop with 25-plus home runs and fielding percentage over .990.

“This is when you want to be at your best — down the stretch,” Tulowitzki told The Denver Post today.

SAN FRANCISCO — The reality is the Rockies’ offensive slump is no longer a secret. Rockies manager Jim Tracy can’t ignore it. As such, he’s using the quickest lineup the Rockies can feature tonight in arguably the biggest game of the season. Win tonight and the Rockies sit in a great position to reach the playoffs. Lose with Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound, and suddenly everything gets messy.

Eric Young Jr. is leading off, followed by Carlos Gonzalez. Dexter Fowler is hitting eighth and playing center field. Nobody on the team is faster than this trio as the Rockies look to manufacture some runs against left-hander Barry Zito. Zito only has nine wins this season and has largely been a huge disappointment for the Giants since signing a $126-million contract. That said, he’s been really good since the all-star break, and his win over the Rockies two weeks ago here was his biggest as a Giant. Zito’s ERA in the second half ranks in the top 10 in the National League.

As a reminder, the Rockies lead the wild card by 3.5 games despite losing three straight. A win tonight would be huge. It won’t come easy. Colorado has scored just 10 runs in its last four games, and the Rockies have lost five straight at AT&T Park.

A look at the lineups, with notation that Bengie Molina is out of the cleanup spot again. That hadn’t happened for two years until last night.

SAN DIEGO — Seth Smith, arguably the hottest hitter in the NL over the last 11 days, returns to the lineup tonight. It’s easy to forget during his remarkable stretch that he hadn’t been playing every day. So giving him a day made sense. Ian Stewart’s back is also feeling much better so he’s starting as well.

“I got out of bed today and it felt good. No tightness,” Stewart said.

Also, I talked to Aaron Cook today. He’s not scheduled to pitch again this season with the plan manager Jim Tracy mapped out. Cook will throw a bullpen Sunday and face hitters sometime next week along with Huston Street, who had another pain-free day in Denver. Here’s the current rotation plan according to Tracy:
Jorge De La Rosa will pitch on Wednesday against San Francisco, leaving the Rockies with Jason Hammel, Ubaldo Jimenez and De La Rosa in that series. Against Arizona, the Rockies will go with Jason Marquis, Hammel and Jimenez. When they face San Diego, it will be De La Rosa, Marquis and Hammel. The only open date is Sept. 25 because Jimenez will go on Sept. 26 on six days rest, setting him up to pitch the first game of the playoffs.

“Nobody will be on short rest,” Tracy said. “That’s how we have it sketched out. The flexibility will be on how Jose Contreras does. He will throw a bullpen tomorrow, but won’t run (with quad injury).”

Contreras would have to show he can back up bases before pitching again. He could be worked in, but Cook will not be barring the Rockies clinching an early playoff berth.

“We don’t want to push Cook too quickly. It affords the opportunity where we don’t feel like we rushed him. We will set up one-to-two simulated games. With the way we rearranged our rotation this will allow us to get him to the Instructional League and be able to come back after pitching to hitters. And we can turn up the volume and extend him beyond 50 pitches there in instructs.”

DENVER — Jason Giambi is lime green in a tan world. Or more appropriately, shining gold. The slugger held his first press conference as a Rockie today, talking about his willingness to play any role, to pinch-hit when necessary or fill in at first base. And of course, he talked about his golden thong. The thong, as my loyal readers might remember from my Sunday page a few years back, is broken out any time a guy is in a deep slump.

“A guy has never not gotten a hit when he’s worn it,” Giambi said. “But it is a desperation move.”

Giambi convinced Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon and Bernie Williams to wear it during his time with the Yankees. Giambi brought that with him and a smile to the Rockies’ clubhouse.

“The guys were excited to see me, and I am excited to be here. I remember talking to Todd (Helton) when the Rockies were in Oakland and he said what a great group of guys were here. That was one of the reasons I signed here,” said Giambi, who spent the past week sharpening his skills in Triple-A after a long layoff.

Giambi is prepared for his role as a pinch-hitter. Basically, contenders are looking for that Matt Stairs moment. Remember when Stairs beat the Dodgers in the playoffs last year with one swing. If Giambi gets one big hit, this experiment is worth it. He’s wearing No. 23 by the way.

In other notes, Dexter Fowler got his knee drained of fluid. He’s hoping to ride a stationary bike today, a clear sign that he’s making progress.

DENVER — With Josh Fogg struggling and appearing unlikley to make his next start, Brad Penny has emerged as a possibility. The Rockies have expressed interest in the right-hander after he was released by the Red Sox last night. Penny would provide another option, along with Russ Ortiz, who is already in Triple-A. But there were indications by mid-afternoon that the Rockies’ interest was mild. They have concerns on how he would fit in the clubhouse.

The hope is that Aaron Cook can return in mid to late September from a shoulder strain, but Penny and Ortiz could be a safety net in the meantime.

Penny would clear waivers Monday, leaving the Rockies available to sign him for the pro-rated minium of roughly $85,000. There are indications that they have a decent shot to land him. If they claimed the veteran before he’s released they would have to pick up the roughly $1 million on his deal. It’s much more likely they would attempt to sign him on Monday at a minimal cost.

The Rockies can buy time by going with four starters in the next turn through the rotation because of Monday’s off day. This would limit the number of starts needed before Cook presumably returns.

Penny told The Boston Herald last night that he wants to sign with a contender before Aug. 31 so that he can be eligible for the playoffs.

Penny was discussed by the Rockies over the winter, but they backed off over some health concerns, and the lack of a glaring need. Eveything is different now with the team trying to reach the playoffs, and Cook out for at least two more weeks with a shoulder strain if not longer.

Earlier this week, the Rockies signed Ortiz and put him in Triple-A Colorado Springs. They also showed that they aren’t afraid to address a need when they agreed to terms with Jason Giambi on a minor-league deal. He will serve as an additional left-handed bat off the bench in September.

Penny also played for Rockies’ manager Jim Tracy in Los Angeles and has historically pitched well in the National League West. He has struggled over the past few months after a decent start. He won just one of his final 11 outings for the Red Sox, finishing with a 7-8 record and a 5.61 ERA.

Rockies’ outfielder Carlos Gonzalez will not be in the lineup today or probably not for around a week after accidentally cutting his left hand after last night’s game.
The Rockies’ best hitter since the all-star break said he was picking up his plate to put in the sink after eating at home when a knife fell off the plate. He instinctively reached for it and grabbed the blade. It left him with a deep cut that required a stitch and medical treatment.
“I am messing up the playoffs,’’ he said with a smile to first base coach Glenallen Hill in the clubhouse. “I can’t believe it. It was just an accident. But now I probably won’t be able to play for a week.’’
Some teammates are concerned he may miss longer than a week. The cut needs to heal completely so that Gonzalez can grip the bat. This could prompt a stay on the DL. There are some handful options in Triple-A, including Eric Young Jr., who has been playing center field of late. Seth Smith is starting in Gonzalez’s place today.
This is a tough loss for the Rockies. Gonzalez has been the Rockies’ best hitter since the all-star break, batting .373 (31-for-83). Fifteen of his last 28 hits have gone for extra bases and he recently homered in four straight games on the road trip.
Gonzalez has given the Rockies’ a spark, moving into the leadoff spot. He was clearly disappointed in his bad luck, particularly the timing. He’s wearing a white bandage around his hand.

DENVER — Call it bad karma. Bad luck. Or just bad illness. But it has been an ugly few days for the Rockies. Let’s get to it. Troy Tulowitzki is back in the lineup after recovering from stomach flu. He’s still under the weather, and will be closely monitored.

“I am not throwing up anymore, so that’s good,” Tulowitzki said. “I got sick Friday morning and I just couldn’t stop it. It was awful.”

Aaron Cook, as you know by know, landed on the disabled list with a shoulder strain. Best-case scenario, he’s out three-plus weeks, and possibly longer. His situation has been compared to Franklin Morales, who missed a month earlier this year. Obviously, Cook may not pitch again in the regular season again unless his shoulder responds. He will undergo an MRI on Monday. There’s no official replacement yet. It will be either Adam Eaton or Josh Fogg. Matt Herges was promoted to eat innings in relief in case either one has to pitch in long relief as well. At some point, one of them has to be held back to go on Wednesday.

“It feels like home, like I never left,” Herges said.

Manuel Corpas is not doing well either. He had surgery again 10 days ago on his right elbow after developing an infection. He’s feeding his arm with antibiotics for another five days. He’s unlikely to pitch again this season, admitting he probably won’t be a candidate unless the team reaches the playoffs. More than likely, he will have to test his arm in winterball. He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man roster for Herges.

Also, reliever Juan Rincon is at Coors Field having his elbow examined. He is eligible to come off his rehab assignment on Sept. 3. Obviously, he’s hoping that he gets called up on Sept. 1 when rosters expand as he has thrown well in Triple-A.

“That’s what I want, but I don’t make the decisions,” said Rincon, who will continue pitching in Colorado Springs until then.

Also, Yorvit Torrealba is starting. Jim Tracy likes the way he has worked with Jorge De La Rosa his last two games and Chris Iannetta is 6-for-9 lifetime off tomorrow’s starter Tim Lincecum.

DENVER — Other than the tight being too tight, Aaron Cook had no issues in his side session today at Coors Field, clearing the way for him to make his start Saturday. Cook was pushed back because of a swollen big right toe. But the inflammation has gone down, and he was able to throw all his pitches today under the watchful eye of trainer Keith Dugger, pitching coach Bob Apodaca and bullpen coach Jim Wright.

“It feels fine. I will be ready,” Cook said.

When he makes his start, Cook will have a metal shank in his cleat for protection. The toe will also be taped — “Not as tight,” Dugger said with a smile — and there will be a small rubber donut around it.

Also, Alan Embree’s X-ray of his broken right leg showed that the bone is healing. There is still a possibility that he could pitch in September. Again, that’s not going to happen for Jeff Francis. At least not in the regular season. There’s an outside shot that if the Rockies go deep into the playoffs that Francis could be ready as he tests the shoulder in the instructional league. But the training staff is not counting on that.

CINCINNATI — There’s no lineup and no roster move yet, in part, because Joe Beimel has not arrived yet. Reliever Juan Rincon has been bothered by some elbow stiffness. He iced last night and was talking with trainer Keith Dugger and tested it by playing catch today.

If he lands on the DL that would create room for Beimel.
Other notes of note:

–Scott Rolen held a press conference to discuss his arrival in Cincinnati. While the move doesn’t make much sense for this season — the Reds are out of it — a team insider offered an explanation. The Reds, he said, need a leader. Rolen is a professional who has been to the playoffs and won a ring.

–The Rockies are picking it defensively as well as they have all season. The show that Clint Barmes and Troy Tulowitzki put on last night was worthy of admission. Helton told me today that they are the best shortstop and second baseman he’s ever played with. That’s high praise considering Neifi Perez won a Gold Glove with Helton and Kazuo Matsui was brilliant in 2007.

–Just talked to Willy Taveras. He’s still bothered by a sore left wrist. He received a cortisone shot and might have a doctor re-exam it. Taveras said of the Rockies, “They are playing good right now. They have so much talent. I am happy for those guys.”

DENVER — Ryan Spilborghs has undergone a series of life-changing events over the past year, from getting married, to the death of his beloved mother to now, the birth of his first child.

His wife went into labor this morning, leaving Spilborghs unavailable for tonight’s game at Coors Field. the Rockies open a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who traded second baseman Felipe Lopez yesterday and could continue moving parts with a playoff berth unrealistic.

A few notes from the pregame:
–Reliever Matt Belisle, designated for assignment last Thursday to make room for Manuel Corpas, cleared waivers and manager Jim Tracy is hopeful he will report to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
–Brad Hawpe’s all-star goody bag from Nike was waiting when he arrived in the clubhouse. Cool stuff in there, including red cleats, sunglasses and every style of golf shirt and shorts. Didn’t see anything in camo though.
–Todd Helton is downplaying his pursuit of 500 doubles. I know this about Helton. He loves to hit. And he will appreciate this accomplishment when his career is over. I told him he’s getting old when everytime he comes up there’s a milestone at stake. “That’s a good thing,” he said with his wry smile.
–Tracy credited Jorge De La Rosa’s improvement to knowing the opposing lineups better and dealing better with adversity.
–Tracy admitted that the Rockies have to play well in division over the remainder of the season to make the playoffs. They haven’t been bad, save for their issues against the Dodgers.

Greeley native Shawn Chacon took another huge step in his climb back to the major leagues today, signing a minor-league contract with the Oakland Athletics, according to his agent.
Agent Danny Horwits told the Denver Post that Chacon will report to Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate tonight and is tentatively scheduled to start Friday in Sacramento. cq
Mlbtraderumors.com was the first to report the signing.
Chacon has been out of baseball since last summer when he got into a physical altercation with Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade.
Chacon kept throwing over the winter with hopes of getting a second chance. He finally landed this season with the Newark Bears, going 3-3 with a 4.29 ERA. He held his independent-league opponents to a .253 average in seven starts.
The 31-year-old right-hander won 24 games for the Rockies from 2001 to 2005, making the all-star team in 2003. He was traded to the Yankees in 2005, helping them to the playoffs. He spent two productive seasons in Pittsburgh as a reliever, but returned to the rotation as a member of the Astros before he was eventually released.

Thanks to the Rockies’ PR department, here’s a summary of the Rockies’ final picks. It includes three Colorado players, including owner Dick Monfort’s son Sterling, who won a state championship this spring with the powerhouse Eaton Reds. In addition, the Rockies drafted Mark Tracy, manager Jim Tracy’s son. He’s a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior slugger from Duquesne. He originally planned on playing football for Colorado State out of high school, but changed his mind and followed his two brothers into baseball.

Also, my sources said that Tim Wheeler and Rex Brothers will sign quickly. As for Tyler Matzek, not so much. That could take until the Aug. 17 deadline, and it still might not happen.

The Rockies release:
Today the Colorado Rockies selected 20 players on the last day of the 2009 First Year Player Draft. The final 20 rounds of the 50 round draft were concluded today.

In all, the club selected 52 players in the draft. The Rockies selected 20 pitchers, 12 outfielders, 12 infielders, and 8 catchers. Of the pitchers, 7 are left-handed pitchers and 13 are right-handed. The team took 41 players from a four-year university or junior college and 11 high school players. A complete list of Rockies draft picks is at the end of this release.

Rockies notes from the Draft:
· On day two of the draft the club’s 14th round selection, Jeffrey Squier, is a shortstop from Streling, CO. He attended Sterling High School and Northeastern Junior College in Sterling before transferring to Mississippi Valley State for his final two years of eligibility.
· With the club’s 44th round selection the Rockies took OF Micah Green from Cherokee Trail High School in Aurora, CO. Green was named to the All-Colorado Team by the Denver Post following the season.
· In the 45th round of the draft Colorado selected C Heath Holliday of Bixby High School in Bixby, Okla. Holliday is the son of current Rockies Special Assistant to the General Manager Dave Holliday.
· The Rockies took another Colorado High School product in the 46th round when the club selected third baseman Tyler Wallace of Eaton High School. Wallace was also named to the All-Colorado team by the Denver Post.
· The Rockies also selected INF/C Sterling Monfort from Eaton High School in the 47th round of the draft. Sterling is the son of Rockies Vice Chairman Dick Monfort.

Rockies Top 5 picks:
Tyler Matzek, LHP: The Rockies first round selection / 11th overall out of Capistrano Valley HS in Mission Viejo, Calif…Matzek, 6-feet-3 and 210 pounds, went 13-1 with a 0.97 ERA (86.2 ip, 12 er) in 15 games for Capistrano Valley in 2009…opponents hit just .144 (40-for-277) off him in 2009…he was also 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 3 starts during the California State Playoffs to lead Capistrano Valley to the California State Championship…Matzek was ranked the 6th best pitching prospect available in the draft by Baseball America, and 8th best prospect overall in the draft by the publication. Matzek was also rated the second best prospect in the state of California by Baseball America…Matzek tossed 6 complete games (7.0 innings in high school), and 5 complete game shutouts for Capistrano Valley this season…tossed a no-hitter on March, 20 against Aliso Niguel High School…allowed one run or less in his final 8 games this season, including no runs in each of his final 4 games…his 13 wins were tied for the most in the state of California, and tied for 5th most in the nation.

Tim Wheeler, OF: The Rockies second first round selection / 32nd overall out of Sacramento State University…batted .385 (77-for-200) with 59 runs scored, 16 doubles, 3 triples, 18 home runs, 72 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 54 games for the Hornets…the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Wheeler led the Hornets in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage (.765), on-base percentage (.494), total bases (153) and stolen bases…the left-handed hitter drew more walks (29) than he had strikeouts (28)…he was rated as the 2nd best center field prospect, and 15th best prospect overall among players available for the draft by Baseball America…Wheeler was selected an all-Western Athletic Conference first team member for the 2nd consecutive season…he became the Sacramento State player ever named to the conference’s first team more than once…his 72 RBI this season also set a school record for a single season…Wheeler also set the school’s all-time RBI mark with 142, doing so in just three seasons at the university…this past season he hit .457 with runners in scoring position, and .451 with runners on base…the right-handed throwing Wheeler had five outfield assists this season…was a four-year letter winner in both baseball and football at El Camino High School in Sacramento, Calif…was named to the all-metro first team as a senior after hitting .535 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 28 runs scored…was a 3-time Team MVP in baseball, and a team MVP in football as well.

Rex Brothers, LHP: The Rockies first round supplemental selection / 34th overall out of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn…the 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior went 5-5 with a 3.26 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 94.0 innings pitched in 2009…Brothers led the club with his 3.26 ERA, and held a 12.64 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched ratio this season, which ranked 4th in the nation…his 132 strikeouts were the 5th most in the nation this season, despite Lipscomb not having made the NCAA tournament…opponents batted just .210 (74-for-352) against him in 2009…led the club with 4 complete games, including one complete game shutout…was ranked by Baseball America as the 3rd best left-handed pitcher, and 17th best player overall available for the draft…was named to the Atlantic Sun first team All-Conference team this season…Brothers is the highest drafted player from Lipscomb since Rockies current Roving Pitching Coordinatior Bo McLaughlin was taken in the first round of the 1975 draft…was named the Atlantic Sun Freshman of the year in 2007.

Nolan Arenado, 3B: Rockies’ 2nd round selection / 59th overall out of El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif…the 6-foot-2, 215-pound infielder hit .517 (45-for-87) with 14 doubles, one triple and 5 home runs for El Toro High School in 2009…he had at least one hit in all but one of his 28 games played this past season…he drew 19 walks compared to 5 strikeouts…he finished the season with a .615 on-base percentage and a .874 slugging percentage…was rated the 17th best catcher available in the draft by Baseball America, although he was drafted as an infielder…was also rated as the 31st best prospect in the state of California by Baseball America.

Ben Paulsen, 1B: The Rockies’ 3rd round selection / 90th overall out of Clemson University…the 21-year-old first baseman hit .367 with 95 hits, 18 doubles, 4 triples, 13 home runs and 61 RBI for the Tigers in 2009…he led the Tigers in batting average, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage (.618), on-base percentage (435) and total bases (160)…also led the Tigers in runs, hits, doubles and total bases as a sophomore in 2008…Paulsen was rated as the 5th best prospect in the state of South Carolina, and 110th best prospect overall among players available for the draft by Baseball America…he was also rated as the 5th best first base prospect available for the draft by Baseball America…a 3-year starter at Clemson, Paulsen has hit 31 home runs in his 3 seasons as a Tiger…was an all-state selection in the state of Georgia as a senior at Kell High School in 2006.

I practically begged the Rockies to take a chance with a high upside kid, ignoring potential contract demands. Not that they would ever listen to me, but the Rockies did just that, taking Tyler Matzek with the 11th pick overall. It was the first tremor on a surprising day for the Rockies. Not only did they gamble with Matzek, they landed Sacramento State center fielder Tim Wheeler with the 32nd pick and Rex Brothers with the 34th selection. They had considered taking those two with the 11th pick.

In the end, the Rockies ended up with three of the projected top 20 players.

Matzek is a 6-foot-3-inch left-hander from Capistrano Valley High School. The 18-year-old, who has been clocked as high as 98 miles per hour, has signed a letter of intent with Oregon. He was praised by MLB.com analyst John Hart for his four-pitch mix and his smooth delivery.

This kid is considered to have a huge upside, but has sent signals that he will not sign for slot money. This could lead to a protracted negotiation. On some draft boards, he was rated as high as No. 2, but slipped because of his signability issues. The last time the Rockies took a high school pitcher was the forgettable 2001 episode with Matt Harrington. He turned down roughly $4 million.

Matzek went 9-1 with a 1.58 ERA during his high school regular season, and went undefeated in the high school playoffs.

“Now the business side starts,” said Matzek regarding the contract talks.

With the 32nd pick in the first round, the Rockies selected Sacramento State center fielder Tim Wheeler. Wheeler has drawn comparisons to Steve Finley. He’s known as an offensive player with good speed. This is a pleasant surprise for the Rockies, who had considered taking Wheeler as high as No. 11. He hit .385 with 18 home runs this season in college.

The Rockies took Brothers with the 34th pick as compensation for the loss of free agent pitcher Brian Fuentes. Brothers was on the radar for weeks. The Rockies were considering Lipscomb in the 11th spot. He throws hard and competes, but has some command issues.

I practically begged the Rockies to take a chance with a high upside kid, ignoring potential contract demands. Not that they would ever listen to me, but the Rockies did just that, taking Tyler Matzek with the 11th pick overall.

He is a 6-foot-3-inch left-hander from Capistrano Valley High School. The 18-year-old, who has been clocked as high as 98 miles per hour, has signed a letter of intent with Oregon. He was praised by MLB.com analyst John Hart for his four-pitch mix and his smooth delivery.

This kid is considered to have a huge upside, but has sent signals that he will not sign for slot money. This could lead to a protracted negotiation. On some draft boards, he was rated as high as No. 2, but slipped because of his signability issues. The last time the Rockies took a high school pitcher was the forgettable 2001 episode with Matt Harrington. He turned down roughly $4 million.

Matzek went 9-1 with a 1.58 ERA during his high school regular season, and went undefeated in the high school playoffs.

“Now the business side starts,” said Matzek regarding the contract talks.

With the 32nd pick in the first round, the Rockies selected Sacramento State center fielder Tim Wheeler. Wheeler has drawn comparisons to Steve Finley. He’s known as an offensive player with good speed. This is a pleasant surprise for the Rockies, who had considered taking Wheeler as high as No. 11. He hit .385 with 18 home runs this season in college.
practically begged the Rockies to take a chance with a high upside kid, ignoring potential contract demands. Not that they would ever listen to me, but the Rockies did just that, taking Tyler Matzek with the 11th pick overall. It was the first tremor on a surprising day for the Rockies. Not only did they gamble with Matzek, they landed Sacramento State center fielder Tim Wheeler with the 32nd pick and Rex Brothers with the 34th selection. They had considered taking those two with the 11th pick.

In the end, the Rockies ended up with three of the projected top 20 players.

Matzek is a 6-foot-3-inch left-hander from Capistrano Valley High School. The 18-year-old, who has been clocked as high as 98 miles per hour, has signed a letter of intent with Oregon. He was praised by MLB.com analyst John Hart for his four-pitch mix and his smooth delivery.

This kid is considered to have a huge upside, but has sent signals that he will not sign for slot money. This could lead to a protracted negotiation. On some draft boards, he was rated as high as No. 2, but slipped because of his signability issues. The last time the Rockies took a high school pitcher was the forgettable 2001 episode with Matt Harrington. He turned down roughly $4 million.

Matzek went 9-1 with a 1.58 ERA during his high school regular season, and went undefeated in the high school playoffs.

“Now the business side starts,” said Matzek regarding the contract talks.

With the 32nd pick in the first round, the Rockies selected Sacramento State center fielder Tim Wheeler. Wheeler has drawn comparisons to Steve Finley. He’s known as an offensive player with good speed. This is a pleasant surprise for the Rockies, who had considered taking Wheeler as high as No. 11. He hit .385 with 18 home runs this season in college.

The Rockies took Rex Brothers with the 34th pick as compensation for the loss of free agent pitcher Brian Fuentes. Brothers was on the radar for weeks. The Rockies were considering Lipscomb in the 11th spot. He throws hard and competes, but has some command issues.

The first score came in today that MLB Network can show, if it had a sense of humor.
Common Sense 2, Idiocy 0.

At their meetings in Arizona, major league owners voted to amend two significant rules, the first directly tied to last fall’s playoffs.

Henceforth, all suspended postseason games or play-in games will be played to completion at the same site regardless of the score or how many innings have been completed. This rule can be traced back to last season’s World Series when commissioner Bud Selig, in a moment of clarity, invoked his power and determined that Game 5 would be suspended and played to its completion at Citizen’s Bank Park. The fact that the players and the Fox Network weren’t aware of this before or during the game was surprising, if not embarrassing. But the managers and team officials from the Phillies and Rays knew. Now everyone does.

So there should be no Donovan McNabb moments in MLB. No five-inning playoff victories because of rain. No ties. The game will be played to the final out, whenever the weather is willing to cooperate. This is so wildly smart and logical, it’s hard to believe baseball is doing it. Games of this significance should be decided on the field, not by Double Doppler radar.

The second change involves determining home-field advantage in tie-breaker games that involve playoff berths. The coin flip is out. As recommended by GMs during their annual meeting in November, a criteria will be used — what a great idea since it’s been employed by youth baseball for years — beginning with head-to-head records between the teams. Again, this is so sane, I had to check to make sure the press release wasn’t issued by the NFL.

For the record, the Rockies would have still hosted the Padres in the 2007 play-in game as they went 11-8 against San Diego during the regular season. As it was, that game landed at Coors Field because of the lucky coin flip calls by traveling secretary Paul Egins.

Even without games, this was a good day for baseball. Now, let’s hope logic doesn’t remain a stranger in the future.

A confluence of factors led the Rockies to acquiring Jason Marquis, a transaction that will become official tomorrow. He’s a winner, having gone to the playoffs every season of his career. He’s a competitor, posting a 2.51 ERA in his Coors Field cameos. And he’s a hitter, primed to join Mike Hampton, Jason Jennings and Aaron Cook as Rockies’ starters who have commanded respect in the batter’s box.

Marquis, 30, owns a .206 career average — OK, he’s a pitcher, not the everyday left fielder. And last season he hit two home runs with 10 RBIs. The ability to hit can pay dividends in decisions. When a manager trusts a pitcher to handle the bat, he sticks around for an extra inning rather than immediately being pulled for a pinch-hitter at first glance after the fifth inning.

Marquis grew up in New York, and there was some rumblings the Cubs would send him to the Mets. The issue with the Mets is that they are focused on landing a top-of-the-rotation starter, namely Derek Lowe. The two sides remain far apart on dollars, which brings us to Tim Redding.

Redding remains on the Rockies’ radar. And for good reason. He could come in around $3 million, won 10 games for a horrible Nationals’ squad last season and beat the Phillies three times. Redding has commanded the most attention from the Mets and Orioles. If the Lowe sweepstakes drags out, Redding could end up taking an opportunity elsewhere. This is the time of year, with 39 days until spring training and less than half of the players signed, that free agents begin flying off the board.

Look for the Rockies to address bench issues once they have added Marquis. Scott Podsednik and the Rockies have mutual interest. Colorado, however, is offering only a non-guaranteed deal for Podsednik, whose speed could be beneficial even in a reserve role with the departure of Willy Taveras. Colorado added utilityman Luis Gonzalez last week.

Footnotes
The Washington Nationals have signed left-hander Will Ledezma to a $750,000 minor-league deal. … The White Sox agreed with Randy Williams on a $410,000 minor-league deal … As part of Tony Clark’s $800,000 contract with the Diamondbacks, he will receive a $500,000 bonus if traded. It’s a defacto no-trade because Clark wants to finish his career with Arizona.

The Rockies continue to make progress in their negotiations with left-hander Glendon Rusch, but no deal is imminent. Colorado doesn’t have a left-hander in its bullpen, and manager Clint Hurdle made a point to say he wanted Rusch back. Rusch is viewed as a swingman, who could also start if necessary.

Before agreeing to a deal, Rusch wants to make sure his role is clarified. He has interest from other teams, and doesn’t want to react too quickly without knowing for sure how the Rockies plan to use him. At this point, however, it would be a bit of an upset if the Rockies don’t sign him because he had such a good experience with the team last season.

Footnotes
Center fielder Ryan Spilborghs leaves for Mexico next week and will play three weeks, and perhaps longer pending playoffs as he sharpens his center field skills. He’s considered the favorite to take over the starting role for the Rockies. … Willy Taveras’ representatives met with the Rockies last week in Denver to discuss the outfielder’s future. It doesn’t likely include Colorado. He’s expected to be traded or non-tendered this week.

It’s a wonderful thing to see a city awaken to baseball. I watched it happen in Detroit in 2006, in Denver last year and now, of all places, Tampa Bay. The Rays have captivated a region, no easy task in football and NASCAR country. At the airport, I walked to the rental car facility surrounded by folks wearing Rays’ caps and the “Worst to First” T-Shirts.

At restaurants around the ballpark, there are, as outfielder Johnny Gomes said, “waiters and waitresses with mohawks. It’s amazing.” At dinner last night, my waiter detailed his plan for some tailgating, beginning five hours before first pitch (Told you this was football country).

Can’t disagree with Gomes’ assessment. The Rockies came to Tropicana Dome in 2003 for interleague play. And it could not have been more depressing. The Dome seemed more suited for a monster truck pull than a big league game. The Rockies were awful here, losing one game when Jeromy Burnitz missed a line drive and Choo Freeman retrieved it and threw the ball to parts unknown (somewhere near second base for some reason). It was one of Shawn Chacon’s low points in his airbag-deployed ride as closer.

Five years later, everything is different. The Rays have a new name — the Devil has been vanquished. They have new colors — dark and light blue. And the Tropicana Dome has fresh paint all around — it’s kind of like adding a second deck to a trailer home, but hey they are making the best of the situation with no new stadium arriving anytime soon.

Tonight’s opener, however, has an asterisk. The BackStreet Boys will be performing the National Anthem. Hello? The Boys were last popular before the Rays were even born. But since the Rays have already gone the American Idol route in these playoffs, perhaps this was the natural progression. Just keep it fast, Boys. No ad-libbing. And for the love of God, no wardrobe malfunctions.

The Phillies will send Cole Hamels to the mound opposite of Tampa’s Scott Kazmir. My theory is that Hamels will win both games that he starts, but that Philly won’t be able to slug out two more wins. The World Series hasn’t been competitive since 2003 when the Marlins beat the Yankees. So if nothing else, maintiaining interest is the goal.

For the second time, Aaron Cook will try to tie the Rockies’ single-season record for victories. For much of this year, he seemed a lock for a 20-win season. But as he sits on 16, the second half has been a grind.

He’s has dealt with back soreness and general ineffectiveness. He blamed poor fastball command for his three-inning shelling last week by the Giants. Cook has this park working in his favor. He has been nails in visiting parks this season, going 10-3, leaving him tied for the NL lead in road wins. At this point, the Rockies have to win every remaining series and get help from the Dodgers and Diamondbacks to advance to the playoffs. They sit six games back with 18 to play.

Dexter Fowler is itching to play, but he won’t be starting until the Rockies raise the white flag on the 2008 season.

“As long as we are tied to this thing, he will (only) have opportunities coming off the bench or pinch hitting,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “If the season turns a different way, then the opportunity is there to start. But I can’t see starting him in front of Willy Taveras or Ryan Spilborghs or Scott Podesdnik right now in the middle of a pennant race. Not that he’s not capable. If the vein of the game changes, we would love to get him out there and start.”

We all know that the Rockies’ postseason hopes are on life support. They head into this afternoon’s game against the Astros trailing the Dodgers by 5 ½ games in the NL West and trailing the Diamondbacks by five games.

With just 19 games remaining, the Rockies’ chances of a miracle finish grower dimmer by the day. However, a look back at 2007 reveals that after 143 games last year, the Rockies were seven games out of first in the NL West. In the wild-card race, they were 3 1/2 games out, trailing the Padres, but also behind the Phillies and Dodgers.

Then came craziness. They won 15 of their last 19, finishing one game behind Arizona in the NL West, but tied with the Padres for the wild card. Of course, the Rockies beat the Padres in Game 163, then swept through the playoffs on their way to the World Series.

Do I think the Rockies will do it again? No way. Why? The Rockies just aren’t playing good baseball right now. Nothing indicates they are ready to go on another historic run.

Here are some leftovers from Saturday night’s lights-out performance by Houston’s Roy Oswalt:

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.